Crossfade

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To blend smoothly from one sound or image to another by slowly reducing the first while raising the second
2. To transition between two audio or video sources by gradually fading out one while fading in the other simultaneously
3. To create a seamless shift from one audio or visual element to another by overlapping their fade-out and fade-in periods

Etymology: "Crossfade" is a compound of "cross" and "fade," and the pairing describes exactly what happens: one sound slides out as another slides in, the two overlapping for a moment. "Fade" comes from the Old French "fade," meaning flat or insipid, which is also the source of the English adjective "fade" in the sense of losing colour or strength. Its use for gradually dimming light or sound came later, as the image of colour draining away was applied to brightness and volume. "Cross" in this sense means that the outgoing and incoming signals pass through one another rather than one simply stopping before the other begins. The combination is a plain, transparent formation, and it names a technique that depends on the two effects overlapping rather than following each other.

Synonyms: fade, transition